Hermetically sealed printed circuit boards

ABSTRACT

A method of assembling a hermetically sealed printed circuit board includes: securing a first end portion of a wall of a cap to a substrate around an electrical contact region of the substrate, the wall including a second end portion disposed in an open configuration; mounting an electronic component to the electrical contact region of the substrate; and sealing the second end portion of the wall closed to form a hermetically sealed chamber between the substrate and the cap to encase the electronic component therein.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/508,101 filed May 18, 2017, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to reusable surgical devices. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to powered surgical devices with enhanced durability and increased moisture resistance.

BACKGROUND

Powered surgical devices include electronic components, such as printed circuit boards, switches, sensors, etc., to enhance the control of functions of the surgical devices. The intelligence of such surgical devices result in a higher product cost compared to currently available disposable units. Accordingly, it would be beneficial if such intelligent devices are reusable.

Reusable surgical devices must be cleaned and sterilized prior to subsequent uses. Cleaning and sterilization procedures, however, are aggressive in nature. Cleaning (e.g., washing and/or disinfecting) utilizes alkaline solutions having high pH values (e.g., a pH of 11). Autoclaving (a common method of sterilization) utilizes high pressure superheated steam (e.g., 30 PSI @ 160° C. for 20 minutes). Such environments are known to damage various electronic components. For example, surgical devices may suffer from moisture ingress during cleaning and/or sterilizing procedures which, in turn, may corrode and/or degrade the electronic components.

The electronic components of reusable surgical devices may be protected from high temperatures, steam, and/or moisture by utilizing, for example, conformal coatings, potting, sealed enclosures, and/or overmolding. The electronic components, however, may still suffer from moisture ingress during cleaning and/or sterilizing procedures (e.g., cracking or delamination of conformal coatings), and/or may be damaged during application of the protective materials (e.g., heat damage during sealing of enclosures).

Thus, it would be beneficial if the durability of the electronic components is enhanced to improve the reliability of the electronic components and/or extend the effective cycle life of the surgical devices.

SUMMARY

The surgical devices of the present disclosure include a printed circuit board having electronic components housed within a hermetically sealed chamber. The electronic components are thus protected and configured to withstand environmental stresses associated with high pH cleaning and sterilization (e.g., autowashing and/or autoclaving), thereby rendering the electronic components more durable for re-use. Additionally, methods of the present disclosure include integrating and hermetically sealing the electronic components of the printed circuit board to minimize and/or prevent damage which may occur to the electronic components during the assembly process.

In one aspect of the present disclosure, a method of assembling a hermetically sealed printed circuit board includes: securing a first end portion of a wall of a cap to a substrate around an electrical contact region of the substrate, the wall including a second end portion disposed in an open configuration; mounting an electronic component to the electrical contact region of the substrate; and sealing the second end portion of the wall closed to form a hermetically sealed chamber between the substrate and the cap to encase the electronic component therein.

In embodiments, securing the wall of the cap includes bonding the first end portion of the wall to the substrate. In some embodiments, the first end portion of the wall includes a flange and bonding the first end portion includes welding the flange to the substrate.

The substrate may be a flex cable, and mounting the electronic component may include forming a printed circuit board on the flex cable.

In embodiments, sealing the second end portion of the wall includes heat sealing sections of the wall together. In some embodiments, sealing the second end portion of the wall includes securing a cover of a cap to the wall.

Mounting the electronic component may include positioning the electronic component of the substrate a spaced distance from outer edges of the substrate, and securing the first end portion of the wall of the cap to the substrate may include bonding the first end portion to the outer edges of the substrate. Mounting of the electronic component may be performed prior or subsequent to securing the first end portion of the wall of the cap to the substrate.

In embodiments, the method further includes placing the substrate in an inert gas environment prior to mounting the electronic component and sealing the second end portion of the wall. In some embodiments, the method further includes applying a coating over the electronic component prior to sealing the second end portion of the wall.

In another aspect of the present disclosure, a method of assembling a flex cable and integrating the flex cable into a surgical device includes: assembling electronic components on a first side of a substrate of a flex cable within a perimeter of a wall secured to the substrate, the wall extending transversely from the first side of the substrate and terminating at an open end; and closing the open end of the wall such that the electronic components are disposed within a sealed chamber.

Assembling the electronic components may include forming a printed circuit board on the flex cable. The method may include placing the flex cable in an insert gas environment prior to assembling the electronic components and closing the open end of the wall, and/or applying a conformal coating over the electronic components prior to closing the open end of the wall.

The method may include placing the flex cable into an adapter assembly of the surgical device. In embodiments, the method further includes electrically connecting the flex cable to a sensor disposed within the adapter assembly. In some embodiments, the method further includes electrically connecting the flex cable with a handle assembly and an end effector of the surgical device to enable communication between the handle assembly, the adapter assembly, and the end effector.

According to a further aspect of the present disclosure, a hermetic electronic assembly includes a printed circuit board and a cap. The printed circuit board includes a plurality of electronic components disposed on a first side thereof and offset a distance from outer edges of the printed circuit board. The cap includes a wall having a first end portion and a second end portion. The first end portion is bonded to the printed circuit board entirely around the plurality of electronic components and the second end portion is heat sealed closed a distance spaced from the plurality of electronic components. The bonding of the first end portion to the printed circuit board and the heat sealing of the second portion of the wall together form a hermetic seal encasing the plurality of electronic components therein.

In embodiments, the first end portion of the cap includes a flange, and the flange is bonded to the outer edges of the printed circuit board. The printed circuit board may be a flex cable.

Other aspects, features, and advantages will be apparent from the description, drawings, and the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various aspects of the present disclosure are described herein below with reference to the drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a surgical device in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a wiring harness of an adapter assembly of the surgical device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3A is a perspective view of a flex cable of the wiring harness of FIG. 2, illustrating assembly of a cap, in an open configuration, on a substrate of the flex cable in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view of the flex cable of FIG. 3A, taken along line 3B-3B of FIG. 3A;

FIG. 4 is a top view of the flex cable of FIGS. 3A and 3B, illustrating assembly of electronic components on the substrate of the flex cable;

FIG. 5A is a perspective view of the flex cable of FIGS. 3A-4, illustrating closing of the cap towards a closed configuration;

FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view of the flex cable of FIGS. 3A-5A, illustrating sealing of the cap to the closed configuration; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a flex cable in accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Surgical devices in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure include a printed circuit board having electronic components disposed within a hermetically sealed chamber to protect the electronic components from exposure to moisture during, for example, cleaning and/or sterilizing procedures where the surgical devices may be subjected to high temperatures, steam, chemicals, and/or moisture. The electronic components of the surgical devices of the present disclosure are protected to prevent and/or resist breakdown over multiple/repeated cleaning and sterilizing cycles.

While the present disclosure is directed to printed circuit boards integrated on a flexible or flex cable of a surgical device, it is envisioned that the principles of the present disclosure are equally applicable to a range of printed circuit boards (e.g., rigid printed circuit boards, such as FR4 circuit boards) and electronic components (e.g., sensors) housed within reusable surgical devices.

Embodiments of the present disclosure are now described in detail with reference to the drawings in which like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding elements in each of the several views. Throughout this description, the term “proximal” refers to a portion of a device, or component thereof, that is closer to a user, and the term “distal” refers to a portion of the device, or component thereof, that is farther from the user.

Turning now to FIG. 1, a surgical device 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. The surgical device 1 is in the form of a powered handheld electromechanical surgical instrument, and includes a powered handle assembly 10, an adapter assembly 20, and a tool assembly or end effector 30. The powered handle assembly 10 is configured for selective connection with the adapter assembly 20 and, in turn, the adapter assembly 20 is configured for selective connection with the end effector 30.

The surgical device 1 will only further be described to the extent necessary to disclose aspects of the present disclosure. For a detailed description of the structure and function of exemplary surgical devices, reference may be made to commonly owned U.S. Patent Publication Nos. 2016/0296234, (“the '234 Publication”), and 2016/0310134 (“the '134 Publication”), the entire contents of each of which are incorporated herein by reference.

With continued reference to FIG. 1, the handle assembly 10 includes a handle housing 12 housing a power-pack (not shown) configured to power and control various operations of the surgical device 1, and a plurality of actuators 14 (e.g., finger-actuated control buttons, knobs, toggles, slides, interfaces, and the like) for activating various functions of the surgical device 1. The adapter assembly 20 includes a proximal portion 20 a configured for operable connection to the handle assembly 10 and a distal portion 20 b configured for operable connection to the end effector 30. The end effector 30 including a loading unit 32 having a plurality of staples (not shown) disposed therein and an anvil assembly 34 including an anvil head 34 a and an anvil rod 34 b.

For a detailed description of exemplary handle assemblies, adapter assemblies, and end effectors which may be utilized in a surgical device of the present disclosure, reference may be made to the '234 and '134 Publications, the entire contents of each of which were previously incorporated herein by reference.

With reference now to FIG. 2, in conjunction with FIG. 1, the adapter assembly 20 includes a wiring harness 22 having at least one flex cable 100 electronically interconnecting the handle assembly 10 and the end effector 30 of the surgical device 1. The wiring harness 22 of the adapter assembly 20 is configured to enable communication between the handle assembly 10 and the end effector 30, and to relay power from the handle assembly 10 to the end effector 30. For example, this communication allows for calibration and communication of data and control signals between the end effector 30 and the adapter assembly 20, as well as between the adapter assembly 20 and the handle assembly 10, thereby transferring data pertaining to the end effector 30 to the handle assembly 10 and signals from the handle assembly 10 to the end effector 30.

The flex cable 100 includes a body or substrate 110 suitable for supporting and/or electrically connecting electronic components 120 thereto. The substrate 110 is formed from one or more layers or sheets of dielectric material, such as a polymer or a ceramic, and one or more layers of conductive material, such as copper foil, that form conductive traces (not explicitly shown) in the substrate 110.

In embodiments, the substrate 110 of the flex cable 100 is formed from copper-Glade polyimides, such as PYRALUX® or NIKAFLEX®, which are registered trademarks owned by DuPont. In some embodiments, the substrate 110 is formed from high temperature materials, such as PYRALUX® HT, also a registered trademark owned by DuPont. It should be understood that the substrate 110 is configured to allow for the fabrication of single or double sided flex circuits, multilayer flex circuits, and rigid flex circuits. The layers of the substrate 110 may be joined to one another by, for example, laminating, welding, and/or using adhesives, among other methods and materials within the purview of those skilled in the art.

A plurality of electrical contact regions 112 (referred to herein as first, second, third, and fourth electrical contact regions 112 a-d) are disposed at terminal ends of the conductive traces (not shown) defined through the substrate 110 on a first side 114 of the flex cable 100. Each of the plurality of electrical contact regions 112 includes one or more pads (e.g., solder pads) to which electronic components 120 are joined (e.g., soldered). The electronic components 120 may be, for example, surface mount technology and/or through-hole technology, including, for example, integrated circuits (e.g., microchips, microcontrollers, microprocessors), resistors, amplifiers, inductors, capacitors, sensing elements (e.g., optical sensors, pressure sensors, capacitive sensors), buttons, switches, circuit boards, electrical connectors, cables, and/or wires, among other elements or circuitry within the purview of those skilled in the art.

The first electrical contact regions 112 a includes electronic components 120 (see e.g., FIG. 4) disposed thereon. A cap 130 is disposed over the first electrical contact region 112 a to hermetically seal the electronic components 120 therein, as described in further detail below. The second electrical contact region 112 b is in the form of solder pads which are aligned and soldered to solder pads 24 of an adapter flex cable 26 which, in turn, is electrically coupled to a force sensor 28 disposed within the adapter assembly 20 (FIG. 1) for measuring forces of the end effector 30 (e.g., as shown in FIG. 1, the pressure applied by the anvil head 34 a in the direction of arrow “A” against the distal portion 20 b of the adapter assembly 20, the pressure applied by tissue acting on the anvil head 34 a in a direction opposite of arrow “A” as the anvil head 34 a is closed onto tissue, etc.).

With continued reference to FIG. 2, a proximal portion 110 a of the substrate 110 includes the third electrical contact region 112 c configured for electrical connection with the handle assembly 10 (FIG. 1). A distal portion 110 b of the substrate 110 includes the fourth electrical contact region 112 d (shown in phantom) coupled to an electronic component 120 in the form of an electrical connector “C” for electrical connection with the end effector 30 (FIG. 1).

It should be understood that while the flex cable 100 is shown including four electrical contact regions 112, the flex cable 100 may have any number of electrical contact regions depending upon the desired configuration and functionality of the flex cable 100, as is within the purview of those skilled in the art.

Referring now to FIGS. 3A-5B, a method of integrating and hermetically sealing a printed circuit board 122 to the substrate 110 of the flex cable 100 in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. As shown initially in FIGS. 3A and 3B, a cap 130, in an initial open-ended configuration, is joined to the substrate 110 of the flex cable 100 such that a wall 132 of the cap 130 extends transversely from the first side 114 of the substrate 110 and defines a closed perimeter around the first electrical contact region 112 a of the substrate 110. The wall 132 may be sized to be complementary in shape with the first electrical contact region 112 a of the substrate 110. The wall 132 may be formed from the same material or a different material from that of the substrate 110 (e.g., the same or a different polymeric material).

A first end portion 132 a of the wall 132 includes a flange 134 that provides a flat surface or increased surface area for bonding of the wall 132 to the substrate 110. The first end portion 132 a of the wall 132 may be secured to the substrate 110 by, for example, laminating or welding the flange 134 around an entire perimeter thereof to the substrate 110 to seal and form a leak-proof barrier at the junction of the substrate 110 and the cap 130. The flange 134 is positioned adjacent to and is aligned with outer edges 116 of the substrate 110, and extends along the outer edges 116 as well as across the substrate 110. A second end portion 132 b of the wall 132 is open to provide access to the first electrical contact region 112 a of the substrate 110. Accordingly, the cap 130 is open-ended during the initial stages of assembling the flex cable 100.

As shown in FIG. 4, electronic components 120 are assembled onto the substrate 110 at the first electrical contract region 112 a disposed within the wall 132 of the cap 130 to form a printed circuit board 122. The electronic components 120 are disposed on the substrate 110 in spaced relation relative to the wall 132 of the cap 130 such that the electronic components 120 are offset a distance from the outer edge 116 of the substrate 110 to which the flange 134 of the cap 130 is bonded, as well as the portions of the flange 134 extending across the substrate 110. Placement of the electronic components 120 onto the substrate 110 in spaced relation relative to the flange 134 of the cap 130 and/or placement of the electronic components 120 onto the substrate 110 after securing the wall 132 to the substrate 110 prevents damage to the electronic components 120 that may have occurred due to heat transfer during bonding of the flange 134 to the substrate 110.

Bonding processes may require high temperatures and/or high pressure which may transfer to the substrate 110. For example, in embodiments in which the substrate 110 and the wall 132 are formed from high temperature materials, high temperatures and/or long bonding times may be required to secure the wall 132 to the substrate 110. Accordingly, assembling the electronic components 120 onto the substrate 110 a spaced distance from the flange 134 of the cap 130 either prior to or after securing the wall 132 to the substrate 110 minimizes potential damage to the electronic components 120. Further, assembling the electronic components 120 onto the substrate 110 after securing the wall 132 to the substrate 110 mitigates potential damage to the electronic components 120.

As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, after the electronic components 120 are assembled onto the substrate 110 of the flex cable 100, the cap 130 is sealed to a closed configuration by joining together the second end portion 132 b of the wall 132. The second end portion 132 b of the wall 132 is gathered and secured together in a fluid tight manner to define a hermetically sealed chamber 135 housing the electronic components 120 therein. As specifically shown in FIG. 5A, for example, the second end portion 132 b of first and second sections 133 a, 133 b of the wall 132 are moved from an open position (see e.g., first section 133 a) to a closed position (see e.g., second section 133 b) so that, as shown in FIG. 5B, the second end portion 132 b of the first and second sections 133 a, 133 b can be secured together along the entire length of the junction thereof. The second end portion 132 b of the wall 132 may be secured together by, for example, laminating or welding the second end portion 132 b of the wall 132 together to seal and form a leak-proof barrier at the second end portion 132 of the wall 132. Accordingly, the cap 130 is close-ended at the end stages of assembling the flex cable 100.

The space provided by the wall 132 around the electronic components 120 minimizes damage which may occur during the process of closing the second end portion 132 b of the wall 132 (e.g., by spacing the second end portion 132 of the wall 132 a distance from the electronic components 120 so that heat from the bonding process does not reach the electronic components 120). The height of the wall 132 may vary depending, for example, on the space and/or distance needed to optimize protection of the electronic components 120 from the settings (e.g., heat) of the bonding process utilized. The second end portion 132 b of the wall 132 may be shaped (e.g., have a domed shape) to provide additional space within the cap 130 for the electronic components 120.

While the wall 132 is shown as a single piece that is secured to the substrate 110 and to itself at the second end portion 132 b thereof to form the hermetically sealed chamber 135, other configurations of the cap 130 are envisioned. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, a flex cable 200 includes a substrate 110, electronic components 120 (see e.g., FIG. 4) assembled onto the substrate 110, and a cap 230 including a wall 232 secured to the substrate 110 at a first end portion 232 a thereof around the electronic components 120, and a cover 236 positioned over and secured to a second end portion 232 b of the wall 232 in a fluid tight manner to define a hermetically sealed chamber 235 (shown in phantom) housing the electronic components 120 (see e.g., FIG. 4) therein. The cover 236 may be secured to the wall 232 by, for example, laminating or welding the entire outer perimeter of the cover 236 to the second end portion 232 b of the wall 232 to seal and form a leak-proof barrier between the wall 232 and the cover 236. The cover 236 may be formed from the same material or a different material from that of the wall 232.

Assembly of the flex cable 100, 200 may be performed using vacuum or in the presence of an inert gas (i.e., argon, nitrogen, etc.), as is within the purview of those skilled in the art. In embodiments, the electronic components 120 are assembled onto the substrate 110 and sealed with the cap 130, 230 by fully drying, assembling, and sealing the electronic components 120 in an inert gas environment, such as an inert glove box (e.g., a nitrogen-filled atmosphere), to ensure zero moisture content within the electronic components 120 and the hermetically sealed chamber 135, 235.

In embodiments, a coating may be disposed over the electronic components 120 prior to sealing with the cap 130, 230. The coating may be a conformal coating that protects the electronic components 120 against moisture and/or heat. Accordingly, the coating may act as an additional layer of protection from any heat that may be produced while sealing the cap 130, 230 and/or in the event that the seal should fail and moisture should permeate or ingress through the cap 130, 230, the coating may provide a layer of protection from the moisture that may otherwise attack the substrate 110 and/or electronic components 120.

In an embodiment, it is further contemplated that a moisture collection agent, e.g., a desiccant, may be provided within the void of the cap 130, 230, prior to the sealing of the cap 130, 230 to the closed configuration. For a detailed description of moisture collection agents, for use in flex circuits and the like, reference may be made to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/464,584, filed on Feb. 28, 2017, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

It should be understood that while the flex cable is shown and described above as being disposed within an adapter assembly of the surgical device, the flex cable may be utilized in other components of the surgical device, or other surgical devices. It should also be understood that while the flex cable is described and shown disposed within a powered surgical device, the flex cable may be utilized in non-motor driven yet powered surgical devices (e.g., reusable surgical devices subject to washing and/or sterilization procedures).

Persons skilled in the art will understand that the structures specifically described herein and shown in the accompanying figures are non-limiting exemplary embodiments, and that the description, disclosure, and figures should be construed merely as exemplary of particular embodiments. It is to be understood, therefore, that the present disclosure is not limited to the precise embodiments described, and that various other changes and modifications may be effected by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the disclosure. For example, the flexible cables of the present disclosure may be utilized in other surgical devices, such as robotic or powered surgical devices/instruments that are subject to sterilization procedures (e.g., autoclaving and/or autowashing). Additionally, the elements and features shown or described in connection with certain embodiments may be combined with the elements and features of certain other embodiments without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, and that such modifications and variations are also included within the scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the subject matter of the present disclosure is not limited by what has been particularly shown and described. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A hermetic electronics assembly comprising: a printed circuit board including a plurality of electronic components disposed on a first side thereof, the plurality of electronic components offset a distance from outer edges of the printed circuit board; and a cap including a wall having a first end portion and a second end portion, the first end portion including a flange welded to the printed circuit board entirely around the plurality of electronic components and the second end portion heat sealed closed a distance spaced from the plurality of electronic components, wherein the welding of the first end portion to the printed circuit board and the heat sealing of the second portion of the wall together form a hermetic seal encasing the plurality of electronic components therein.
 2. The hermetic electronics assembly according to claim 1, wherein the flange is bonded to the outer edges of the printed circuit board.
 3. The hermetic electronics assembly according to claim 1, wherein the printed circuit board is a flex cable.
 4. A method of assembling a hermetically sealed printed circuit board, the method comprising: securing a first end portion of a wall of a cap to a substrate around an electrical contact region of the substrate by welding a flange of the first end portion of the wall of the cap to the substrate to bond the first end portion of the wall of the cap to the substrate, the wall including a second end portion disposed in an open configuration; mounting an electronic component to the electrical contact region of the substrate; and sealing the second end portion of the wall closed to form a hermetically sealed chamber between the substrate and the cap to encase the electronic component therein.
 5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the substrate is a flex cable, and mounting the electronic component includes forming a printed circuit board on the flex cable.
 6. The method according to claim 4, wherein sealing the second end portion of the wall includes heat sealing sections of the wall together.
 7. The method according to claim 4, wherein sealing the second end portion of the wall includes securing a cover of the cap to the wall.
 8. The method according to claim 4, wherein mounting the electronic component includes positioning the electronic component on the substrate a spaced distance from outer edges of the substrate, and securing the first end portion of the wall of the cap to the substrate includes bonding the first end portion to the outer edges of the substrate.
 9. The method according to claim 8, wherein mounting the electronic component is subsequent to securing the first end portion of the wall of the cap to the substrate.
 10. The method according to claim 4, further comprising placing the substrate in an inert gas environment prior to mounting the electronic component and sealing the second end portion of the wall.
 11. The method according to claim 4, further comprising applying a coating over the electronic component prior to sealing the second end portion of the wall.
 12. A method of assembling a flex cable and integrating the flex cable into a surgical device, the method comprising: assembling electronic components on a first side of a substrate of a flex cable within a perimeter of a wall secured to the substrate, the wall extending transversely from the first side of the substrate and terminating at an open end; closing the open end of the wall such that the electronic components are disposed within a sealed chamber; placing the flex cable into an adapter assembly of the surgical device; and electrically connecting the flex cable with a handle assembly and with an end effector of the surgical device to enable communication between the handle assembly, the adapter assembly, and the end effector.
 13. The method according to claim 12, wherein assembling the electronic components includes forming a printed circuit board on the flex cable.
 14. The method according to claim 12, further comprising placing the flex cable in an insert gas environment prior to assembling the electronic components and closing the open end of the wall.
 15. The method according to claim 12, further comprising applying a conformal coating over the electronic components prior to closing the open end of the wall.
 16. The method according to claim 1, further comprising electrically connecting the flex cable to a sensor disposed within the adapter assembly. 